Let the Rain Fall
by pass the broccolini
Summary: Arima's insecurities and possessiveness have gone spiraling out of control. Beware, Yukino Miyazawa. A killer is on the loose.
1. Default Chapter

Let The Rain Fall  
pass the broccolini

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Various Notes from the Author:

Plot: Arima's insecurities and possessiveness have gone spiraling out of control. Beware Yukino Miyazawa...a killer is on the loose.

_Disclaimer: I do not own the original "His and Her Circumstances" characters. They are the exclusive property of their creators_. I do, however, own the characters I made up.

Author's Note: This is my first Karekano fanfic. Actually, I believe that this is my first attempt at fanfiction in general. Read and review, please. Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciate.

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Chapter One:  


Rain tapped against the glass windows of his room as Arima finished the last of his homework. His pen was placed beside the notes for the upcoming fieldtrip to the local recycling plant. The teachers, namely Mr. Koibadaro, the eclectic "Introduction to Environmental Science" professor, believed that the student body should take a greater interest in the environment and pollution's effect on the local community. Even if it didn't sound like the most thrilling trip in the world, it would be a nice break from the daily routine of school. Besides, he would make sure he was in a group with his Miyazawa, and there would probably be some dark corners where they could...

A small smile crossed his face as his thoughts, as they so often did, turned to the beautiful Yukino Miyazawa. His girlfriend. His . She belonged to him. Every meticulously groomed hair, the sound of her laughter echoing through the halls, the smile that only graced her face when he was present. All of these things, whether she knew it or not, further bound her to him. He had never been as happy as he was when he was around her. Sometimes he wondered, though, if his affection was returned. Sure, she reminded him on a daily basis of her love for her soulmate, as she called him. But was she serious? He had learned in the previous year that deception was one of Yukino's strong suites. She had the entire class, including himself, fooled into believing that she was the perfect little school-girl. Good in her studies, popular, intelligent, beautiful, considerate...

What if she hadn't only faked the image of the ideal student, but their entire relationship in general? He wasn't completely oblivious. He knew that practically every girl in the school had possessed a crush on him, at least before his relationship with Miyazawa had been revealed. Her "affection" towards him could have really been nothing more than a further attempt to elevate her status. Not to mention that she often borrowed his notes, therefore increasing her intellectual pursuits.

As he slipped in between the crisp, cool covers of his bed, he dismissed these...impossible thoughts from his mind. Miyazawa loved him, and only him. It was probably all the granola he had been eating that made him question her intent. A small smile crossed his face as he drifted off to sleep, thoughts of his angel's face greeting him the next day in his mind.

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Except more chapters soon. Possibly tomorrow. Liked it? Hated it? Want to send me to the fiery pits of flamedom? Review! 


	2. Chapter Two

Let the Rain Fall  
pass the broccollini

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Author's Note: I just wanted to thank all the reviewers (MountainRain). Your commentary/criticism is extremely appreciated! I'm hoping that with more chapters come more reviews. So...here's the next chapter.

**MountainRain** – Thank you so much for your review! I've read your fanfic, but ever since I saw that episode (just forgot the name) where Arima keeps asking himself "is she happy with me?", I've had the feeling that with just the right amount of pressure, he would turn out to be a homicidal killer. Or maybe I've just been reading too much Steven King. Anyway, yes. Didn't mean to steal your vibe, but it is such a wonderful vibe. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter.

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Chapter Two:

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and Yukino Miyazawa had just finished some early studying for her French test in the school's library with two of her closest friends, Tsubasa and Maho. The bell was expected to ring soon, so their pace was a little quicker than usual. Tsubasa was chomping on a caramel she had found on the ground in the library. As Maho recited the first twenty elements on the Periodic Table, Yukino's thoughts drifted off to her sweet, charming, intelligent, beautiful, respectful, kind, talented, athletic, gentlemanly, polite, considerate...

"...Yukino? You ok?"

"Wha---oh...yeah, fine."

"Arima again, huh?"

"Yeah."

A small sigh escaped her lips. Sometimes she felt guilty daydreaming about Arima around Maho. The guilt was only temporary, of course, but it was still sort of depressing that no one in the entire school took notice of her. She was referred to as "Yukino's friend" and "that girl who hangs out with that girl who's dating Arima". Personally, Yukino didn't mind the attention (being the self-proclaimed Queen of Vanity that she was), but it would be nice if Maho could meet a guy who could make her smile. She was the only one in their little circle of friends that had a steady boyfriend. Tsubasa was single (although that was more of a personal choice than a lack of boy-attracting abilities), Maho was single, even Sakura and Hitomi only had an on-again-off-again relationship as unpredictable as Mr. Koibashina's pop quizzes. Tsukino was beginning to wonder if something wasn't going on between Sakura and Asapin, though it was too early to tell. It was rumored that plans for a "Sakura-Asaba Merryland" were in the making.

"Oi! Miyazawa!"

Speak of the devil.

"Hey Asaba, how's it going?"

Asaba Hideaki. If he wasn't such a womanizer and she wasn't completely in love with Arima, he was good looking enough for her to date. For _anyone_ to date, really. It was too bad Sakura was just as bad as he was when it came to women. They made a cute couple.

"Not bad. Just picked up a copy of _The Underground_."

Yukino smiled. _The Underground_ was a completely student-run publication completely separate from the school's newspaper. Being the assistant head of the Student Government Committee, she had voted on the decision whether or not to ban the small newspaper. She (and Arima, for that matter) had voted against banning it; free speech was important. After their votes, many others (including faculty) were swayed as well. It was a nice feeling, being able to see others gain enjoyment from reading something you had the power to destroy. It gave her a sense of power. And power was always good.

"Is it any good?"

"Most of it's just gossip. They've got some pretty good pics of that new girl, though. The one with the great abs."

A small, toothy grin crossed Asaba's face. It wasn't his fault he was a womanizer. He was God's gift to women. It was his job. Speaking of women, he withdrew a rather large lollipop with red and green swirls and presented it to one of his favorite little sheep. Kneeling down, he offered her the candy.

"Hungry, Tsubasa?"

Thoughts about her caramel immediately forgotten, she pounced upon the colorful piece of candy and begin chewing on it noisily. After a small pat on her head, Asaba stood up.

"Hey Asaba...Yukinon, we need to get to class. Homeroom starts in, like, three minutes."

"...yeah, alright. Bye!"

"Bye, Miyazawa!"

As the homeroom bell rang, flocks of gathered students congregating in the halls migrated towards their designated homerooms and Asaba was quickly lost in the crowd. Tsukino and her two friends headed towards their classes as well, none of them noticing the dark-haired figure watching them from the halls.

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Don't really know where I'm going with this yet. Consider it a work in progress, but at least it's longer than the first. Read and review, please.


	3. Smile

Let the Rain Fall  
pass the broccollini

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Author's Note: I'd like to apologize for the length of time between chapters. However, like many of you out there, I too have a life. Hope this chapter was worth the wait! Review!

SakuraJane: ...yup. Arima's going to gradually get more and more possessive. It may not be _completely_ realistic, but it is fanfiction after all.

MountainRain: Thank you for your reviews! Keep on critiquing! Oh yeah, and the part about the character name mix-up. Actually, that was just a random name I made up for the sake of plot purposes. It might be a good idea to change it though, maybe I'll go back and edit it a bit.

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Chapter Three:

She always had a smile on her face. It was there when she giggled with her friends about Asaba's women-hunting, it was there when she scored first on the exams, it was there when her parents bought her a new dress, and it was there when she was with him.

It wasn't fair.

He had completely dedicated his heart and soul to this girl. Sure, he had kendo and his academic pursuits. He had the School Trip Committee, the Student Council Committee, and various other organizations he belonged to. But he didn't want to belong. He wanted _her_ to belong. To him. She shared that smile of hers with everyone around her. He shared his with only her.

It seemed as if every time her friends were around, she'd casually hold his hand. Not that he didn't like physical contact, but it was the _way_ in which she did it. The way she almost seemed to be bragging about him. It was no secret that Miyazawa always wanted to be number one. First in her class, first on the exams, first to win the school acting award, first to capture his heart. She was the best at almost everything: athletics, academics, etc. It made sense that she wanted him. He wasn't oblivious to what other's thought of him. He was "charming", "smart", and a "pretty boy". He didn't resent it. What he resented was that she almost seemed to want him just for the sake of _having_ him. He was the top-pick of the eligible bachelors in school. It was only logical that she'd wanted the best catch so that, once again, she would be number one.

He spent the rest of the day with thoughts such as these. During the last period before he lunch, he forced these thoughts out of his mind so that he could concentrate on the assigned, in-class math problems. The bell finally rang, dismissing the students from the monotonous lecture about the importance of quadratic equations.

After purchasing his lunch (an apple, a bowl of white rice, a granola bar, and a Diet Coke), he scanned the lunch room for his friends. Asapin, Miyazawa, and Maho all had the same lunch period as he, and were sitting at the table in the back of the dining hall. Catching his gaze, Miyazawa rose from her plate of ramen noodles and waved to him. She had a smile on her face.


	4. Bad Granola

Let the Rain Fall  
pass the broccollini

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Author's Note: Two chapters in one day! Review, please.

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Chapter Four:

Well, it turned out he _had_ been eating some pretty bad granola. The school had given him a day off on account of food poisoning, but it made him even more nauseated to think of all the work he'd have to do when he got back. After puking out his innards for what seemed like an eternity the night before, he was able to get some rest. It was 1:07 pm.

His "parents" had wished him well and given him some medication to ease his upset stomach. They both had to go to work that day, even his "mother". She was out working with a charity she had recently become involved with. They were selling baked goods to raise money. So he was alone. Finally, time to catch up on the historical novel he had been reading.

In the middle of the Revolutionary War between America and England, he received a phone call. A brief glance over the caller id screen told him it was his smile. His Miyazawa.

"Arima?"

"Uh...hello?"

The sound of her voice was crackly due to poor reception. Sitting up in his bed, he pressed the phone harder against his ear, as if that would make her words more clear.

"Arima! How are you? I heard from Asaba that you were sick! Are you ok?"

"...what, oh...yeah. I'm fine. Just a little queasy, that's all. How are you doing?"

"Are you sure? Do you need any medicine or anything, because I live next to this pharmacy where there's—"

"I'm fine, really. Besides, my parents are doctors. I'm as medicated as I could possibly be. Anyway, how's school going? Am I missing anything important?"

"Not really. But I could bring over my notes after school, if you like."

"Yeah, that'd be great."

The line suddenly went silent. Arima pulled the phone away from his ear and checked the screen to see if he had accidentally pressed the "Disconnect" button. He hadn't. A few minutes later, her voice sounded from the opposite line again.

"Hello? Arima?"

"...Yeah, I'm still here. What happened?"

"Oh, nothing. It's actually lunch right now, and I'm not supposed to be using the phone."

A small smile crossed his face. He could practically imagine her ducking under the table to sneak this call. See, she _did_ love him.

"Oh, ok. Well, I'll see you after school."

"Bye!"

Click. He leaned back on the comfortable down pillows he had propped up against the headboard. They were cool and crisp. He continued reading his novel, though now somewhat distracted in anticipation of the arrival of Miss Miyazawa, and ate a small bowl of rice. Luckily, he was able to keep it down. In fact, he had started feeling better and had watched reality TV for the remainder of the afternoon. A few hours passed, and he heard the knock at the door.

"Coming!"

He pressed the red button labeled "POWER" on the remote control, and the black screen of the TV immediately went blank. Within moments, he had walked to the door and opened it.

"Arima! Are you ok? We brought work. And snacks!"

"We?"

Asapin popped out from behind the bushes. Apparently he had lost an earring.

"Arima! How are you feeling? A thousand paper cranes."

The blonde handed the bucket filled with a thousand origami cranes to Arima. A small smile crossed Arima's face. He still had the 1,000 cranes that he had received when he had left for Kendo Training over the summer. After inviting them in, they shared notes and study tips for about an hour while Asaba watched a show on TV titled "Women—A Journey".

"Oh! I forgot to call Mr. Ugarashi to tell him I can't make kendo practice. I'll be right back."

"Ok."

Miyazawa returned to her studies, humming a catchy commercial jingle, as Arima left for the phone. After making his call, he headed back for the living room where his friends were. However, upon hearing them converse, he paused and eavesdropped from behind the opposite wall.

"He seems ok."

"Yeah, I was pretty worried about him. Maho was making it out that he had some sort of deadly illness. She said something about him needing a new kidney."

They chuckled together for a moment before resuming the conversation. Arima had his ear pressed against the beige wall.

"Why do you even watch that show?"

"...huh, this? I dunno...it's better than studying. And the women are pretty good-looking."

More chuckling. Ha ha ha. Asaba the Womanizer.

"You know, you're pretty good-looking too."

Freeze. What was this pretty boy saying to _his_ Miyazawa. Sure, she was good-looking. But only he was allowed to say so.

"Why...thank you."

"Does Arima ever tell you that?"

Of course, idiot. It's only the most obvious thing in the world that he cared about this girl. Every moment of his day was filled with thoughts of her. He met her at every opportunity after classes and school. He had even caught his "parents" glancing through a wedding catalog.

"...um, n-not really. I mean, he _loves_ me. That's all that matters"

That's right. Say it again. Say you love him. He's everything to you. Your first love. Your _only_ love.

"Hm. Well, a man should pay more attention to his beloved.

...I would."

Arima stepped towards the two, revealing his place behind the wall. They were sitting next to each other, and his arm was casually slung over her shoulder. Asaba was holding his Miyazawa.

Asaba was holding his Miyazawa.

Asaba was holding his Miyazawa.

Asaba was holding his Miyazawa.

Arima couldn't keep the rice down anymore.

He puked.


	5. Angry Arima

Let the Rain Fall  
pass the broccollini

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Notes from the Author: I just want to thank those of you who have left reviews/encouragement/advice on my recent chapters and story in general. It's the motivation of fresh new reviews to read that keep the chapters coming! Anyway, hope you like this new chapter!

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Chapter Five:

_A small boy was crouched in the corner of his bedroom, hugging his knees and crying softly to himself. Outside of the protection of his old, oak bedroom door, his parents were yelling and throwing things at each other. Again. His small pleas of "make it stop make it stop" were unheard and the volume of the hateful words increased and increased. He heard the sound of glass breaking—probably a beer bottle—and it suddenly went silent._

_Moments later, his father stumbled into his room. Although he was a thief and a coward, sometimes he felt guilty for his son. Arima. A complete accident. A mistake, more like. If it wasn't for that stupid little boy, he might've been able to enjoy life to the fullest and aspire towards his dreams. Granted, those dreams were overshadowed by the success of his older brother in medical school, but they were dreams nonetheless._

"_Boy?"_

_Arima was hugging his knees and rocking back and forth, crying to himself. Why couldn't his parents just get along? Why couldn't they just love him? Was he bad? Was he stupid? Was he ugly?  
_

"_...sorry you had to hear all that. Your mom...she won't be yellin' anytime soon. Women are just plain trouble."_

_The drunken father closed the open door behind him and entered Arima's room as he said those words. The only bathroom was attached to Arima's small room and the living room. However, he had no desire to enter the "Yelling Room" again. Arima's whimpering would probably keep him from sleeping if he didn't comfort the stupid boy anyway._

"_All of 'em. Stupid and worthless."_

_That wasn't true. Ms. Koibatecho, Arima's kindergarten teacher, was nice. She gave him the pointy crayons and a full glass of milk at lunch. He always got the pretty red and gold stickers too._

"_Soon as you turn your back, you'll catch 'er cheating. Don't ever fall in love, if ya know what's good for you."_

_And if what his parents shared was love, he knew he never wanted to have it in his entire life._

Arima angrily treaded onto the school's grounds. The flashbacks from his childhood were becoming even more frequent, which didn't help his worsening mood much. Being around Miyazawa seemed to both awaken and heal his horrible memories. Some scars, though, could never be healed. The words of his father remained in his head. That stupid girl. _His _stupid girl. Sure, they weren't kissing...but she was letting another man touch her. That was bad enough. And while he was sick, no less.

The warning bell rang, signifying twenty minutes until the start of first period. As he pushed the glass door open, a few nameless faces in the crowd said their 'hello's and 'I hope you feel better soon's. He was in no mood to speak to these people, and thus didn't give a response. As he rushed, still fuming, towards his first class, he knocked down a boy only a few inches shorter than he.

"Hey! You're Arima, right?"

"...yeah, what's it to you?"

For a moment, the smaller (obviously underclassmen) boy paused. Arima was described as friendly, athletic, and attractive. Granted, he was the latter two. Maybe everyone had their bad days.

"I, uh, c-can I take your picture for the newspaper? You were amazing in your kendo match! You're so cool!"

Adoring freshman wannabes. He had no time for this.

"I'm busy."

He pushed by the dejected _Underground_ photographer towards his new class. Disgruntled, the younger male shirked off with angry thoughts in his mind. Stupid jocks.

Asaba was watching from across the hall. He knew Arima was easily angered and was very possessive of his Miyazawa. Still, they were just hugging...right? He wasn't going to do anything else. Well, at least not with Arima watching in the doorstep. Still, he'd have to have a...talk with Arima to clear things up. It wouldn't do to have all the freshman frightened, now would it?

Later that day, Miyazawa purchased her lunch and sat down at her usual table. She felt guilty about the whole "Asaba-hugging" incident. Arima must've thought they were kissing or something. That's probably what made him throw up. She'd never cheat on him, though.

"Oi! Miyazawa!"

She glanced up from her Cup O' Noodles and saw a waving Asapin across the hall. He was gesturing towards one of the large cherry blossom trees outside. The weather was pretty nice, so the faculty were allowing the students to eat outdoors.

"I saved us a good spot!"

He gestured to the tree once more and waited for her to follow. She did. When they arrived beneath the light pink canopy of the tree, she sat down her lunch tray and leaned back against the solid trunk of the tree. One quick glance told her that Arima was not around.

"Where's Arima?"

"Student Trip Committee Meeting. Planning a field-trip or something."

"Oh."

"...Listen, Miyazawa. About yesterday...". Asaba trailed off. It seemed that they were sitting awfully close next to her. Arima wouldn't even notice if they kissed or touched. He liked Miyazawa. As a friend, maybe a little bit more...but never as a serious girlfriend. She just seemed so hopelessly lost without Arima. There was some deep, stirring desire within him to comfort any female within range. And so he did.

"...never mind."

"Ok." Yukino hadn't seen Arima at all today, which was probably a good thing. Some of her classmates had approached her, asking what had happened between them. That meant Arima was furious. It was probably another childhood/traumatic past incident. They'd survive it. Their relationship could survive anything, it always did.

"Asaba?"

"Hm?"

"Is Arima mad at me?"

"Nah. Just me. Think he thought I was trying to...y'know. Kiss you or somethin'."

The conversation lapsed into silence, and they continued eating their lunches. Suddenly and with no warning, Asaba flicked a piece of noodle into the reddish-brown hair of Miss Miyazawa. A small grin crossed her face as a piece of rise found its way onto his face, via a flicking of her spoon. A mini-food fight erupted, and they were so caught up in their own way to forget the "Accident", none of them noticed the snapping of the camera a few feet away.

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A new chapter coming soon! Questions, comments, concerns? Please review! 


	6. Kill

**Let the Rain Fall  
pass the broccollini**

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**Author's Notes**: I just wanted to say 'thank you' to those who reviewed. Thank you! Specific comments/questions/concerns are addressed below. Have any? Leave a review! 

**SVZ - **Thanks. I've been trying to keep to the basic theme of the original series and not make it completely farfetched and unrealistic. At least not until the later chapters.

**MountainRain **- Thank you for putting me on your Karekano Website!

**BetseyLee** - ...eh, I dunno. I think there's a fine line between possessive (in a good way) and completely controlling. Arima seems to be bordering on that line. Thanks for the review!

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**Chapter 7**: 

"Hey Arima!"

It was the second day after The Accident, and Arima was still brooding. Asaba and Miyazawa had managed to avoid him all day. However, he was currently being greeted by Asapin. Asapin ran to catch up with Arima, slowly jogging to a mere walk beside Arima.

"Hey Arima..."

"Hello Asaba. Pleasant day?"

Asaba could tell that Arima's teeth were clenched. And rightfully so. But...it really _was_ an accident. An accident, right? Yes...yes...an accident.

"...look, Arima. I wanted to apologize for...uh...y'know and—"

"For what? For feeling up my _girlfriend_ in my _own_ home, eating _my _food while _I_ was sick? And _then_ having the nerve to avoid me all day? Oh, you're _such_ a great friend Asaba. Thank you, Asaba. You're too kind."

"I wasn't...we weren't doing anything wrong. We were just hugging. You know how she is...we're both---just friends, Arima. Just friends. Honest."

They had almost arrived at the school doors. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Asaba had a point. Miyazawa was known for her...glompiness. In fact, she and Tsubasa would glomp any friendly face in sight. Hugs were a natural part of her family and life. She hugged everyone and they hugged back.

His parents never hugged him.

"If you give me your word..."

Asaba, despite this little incident, was still his best friend. Maybe it really was just an accident. Miyazawa was really stressed anyway, she probably just didn't want to bother him with her problems, since he was sick. Asaba was probably just giving her support, maybe encouraging her to treat her boyfriend extra-special. Maybe signing her up for "How to Massage your Boyfriend" lessons. His feet hurt, after all. In fact, maybe they were planning a surprise present for him, since he was most likely to be Valedictorian. No! That's what it was...she was stressed about _competing_ with him for the position of valedictorian and she couldn't _tell_ him because in school, they're rivals! It makes perfect sense!

" 'Course, Arima. Nothing's goin' on between Miyazawa and me."

"Then I believe you."

A small, faint smile crossed Asaba's face. Good. Arima was not a person to be lied to or deceived. Though Arima was a decent person, deep down, he could be really ruthless. It was amazing how easily he could manipulate the class. His looks, his seemingly carefree personality...for the first half of the year, the entire class was completely deceived. Miyazawa did the same. That's why they were so perfect for each other. Even if he was a womanizer, he knew that Yukino was completely off-limits.

They arrived at the doors of the school, where a few students were handing out newspapers. It was against school policy to hand out publications inside school doors, so the editors and newbie-journalists were frantically trying to pass out as many copies as possible before class.

"...Asaba?"

"Hm, yeah?"

"There's...there's a—bee. On you."

Asaba's eyes widened. That was his one great fear. Those slimy, creepy, icky, crawling bugs.

"Get it off! Get it off!"

"Asaba, just hold still and it'll go away."

Though Arima was calm and collected, Asaba was running around like the madman he was trying to swat it off. With a resigned sigh, he took one of the newspapers from one of the students, rolled it up, and smacked Asaba on the arm with it. Hard.

"Ow, Arima. That hurt."

"Good."

"..is the bee..."

"It's gone."

Asaba relaxed, detensing his shoulders and forgetting completely about the little bumblebee as the school bell rang.

"Damn...I was supposed to meet my Chem professor early. Alright, I'll see you after-school?"

"Yeah. Bye."

Asaba smiled and ran inside. Things were better now! They could be friends again!

Arima smiled and walked inside. Things were better now! They could be friends again! Approaching a trash receptacle, he unrolled the newspaper. He felt a bit guilty for swatting the bee. At least it got a chance to fly away. He felt awful about hitting things with newspapers. It was he who was hit by them as a child, and that had scarred him for life. Not as big a scar, however, as the one he received when he glanced at the headline of the unrolled newspaper.

**MIYAZAWA DUMPS ARIMA FOR ASABA**

Arima dismissed the headline as a lie. He should've known this stupid paper Miyazawa worked so hard for would just end up a gossip column. However, it was the picture that broke his heart.

There, in color and on the top of the fold was a picture of _his_ Miyazawa cuddled up with Asaba on the lawn. He was feeding her pieces of sushi by hand, and she was obviously enjoying it. There was a huge smile on her face. _His_ smile.

They say pictures are worth a thousand words. However, only one entered his mind.

_Kill.

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_ Liked it? Hated it? Review!_  
_


	7. Say It

**Let the Rain Fall**

**pass the broccollini**

**Author's Note**: Well, I apologize for the extreme delay in the production and publication of this chapter. It's short, but hopefully it will have been worth your wait. (If not, don't worry...more chapters will be coming soon.) The POV changes rather often in this chapter without mention. I hope you'll be able to figure it out. Please leave comments!**

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Chapter Seven**:

The phone ringed. The harsh ringing noise echoed in Arima's room and head. There was no point in looking at the caller identification. He knew who it was. _Miyazawa._ He drew back from his plans for the Student Trip Committee and watched the beige machine sing its song once more. And then again. After the fourth ring, he picked up.

"Hello?"

From behind the safety of the other line, Miyazawa smiled and relaxed on the couch. He didn't hate her! She couldn't believe that after all the work she put in to making that stupid newspaper possible, it would spread rumors about her and Asaba. If Maho wasn't already her friend, she would've suspected it was another one of the dark-haired girl's evil turn-the-whole-school-against-you schemes.

"Hello? Arima! Ohmigosh...I---the newspaper and I had no id—"

"It's ok, Miyazawa."

"What?"

This wasn't like Arima. He should be furious. Didn't he love her anymore? No...that was a stupid question. Of course he loved her. He had grown up a lot after that kendo camp. Maybe he was more emotionally mature as well.

"It's just some stupid paper. I didn't really pay attention to it that much."

"Wow...I—I would be furious."

_Are you really that hard-headed Miyazawa? Can't you hear the strain in my voice? Or the tap-tap-tapping of the end of my pencil against my desk as I restrain myself from ripping the cord out of this damned phone. If you were in front of me...._

Miyazawa sighed into the end of her receiver. Arima really was the perfect man. In retrospect, she couldn't believe that she had actually doubted that Arima would trust her. She practically owned his heart. And he owned hers. He was everything a boyfriend should be. Affectionate, intelligent, brilliant, creative, strong. And he was so forgiving and kind and gentle!

_Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. _

"No. I'm fine. I've grown up. Stupid childish pranks don't affect me."

"Oh Arima, you're so mature."

_Rip that treacherous snake into pieces, you know you want to. Kill her. It would be so easy. No one would suspect it was you. And besides, it's her fault. If she wasn't a treacherous snake, you wouldn't have to do this. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her._

"...how's your work going, Arima? I miss you. We don't get to spend much time together anymore."

_That's because you spend it _snuggling_ with my _only friend_, you worthless traitor._

"Really? Yeah...I guess it is kind of like last year's sports fest. I'm just finishing the plans for the School Trip Committee. What about you?"

"I'm almost done. Maybe we could start studying together again?"

_Then I can chop you into pieces and hide the pieces under my floorboards where no one would find them. Or better yet, sauté them in soy sauce and eat them while laughing in a pool of your blood_.

"Yeah, sounds fun."

"Oh---my parents need the phone. Alright, I'll see you at school tomorrow! Love ya!"

"Goodnight, Miyazawa."

"...you didn't say it."

"What?"

"You didn't say it back. You didn't say you loved me."

"Goodnight, Miyazawa."

He hung up the phone and returned to his work. Tomorrow would be quite a day.

* * *

Ack--I know it's short, but I thought it would be better to quickly update. Read and review, please! 


	8. Chapter Nine

**Let the Rain Fall**

**pass the broccollini**

Author's Note: The usual disclaimer. I do not own His and Her Circumstances. If I did, I would be out selling merchandise.

I apologize for the EXTREME delay in the production of this chapter. Usual excuses of busyness and such. Looking back on the previous chapter, I decided to make a few changes. Nothing huge has changed...just some added details.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Please read and review!

Response to Revieweres

**Kira666 **and **Kerich**i and other **anonymous reviewer**s: Thanks for reviewing so honestly about the old ending. I didn't like it either.

**Thank you to all my reviewers! Your honest comments, criticism, and encourgament really help!**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**: 

Arima had woken up at his usual time, 4:30 am. He had showered, brushed his hair, and gotten dressed, just like every other day. After getting his kendo gear from the closet, he headed off to school for early-morning practice. The captain was a senior, which meant that Arima had a really good chance of being captain the next year. Arima had been debating whether or not to accept the position. He already had so much to handle...the school trip committee, the school sports fest committee, head of his class, etc. Kendo was really intense, too. He'd have to set up the sparring schedules and everything.

He entered the gym and was immediately greeted by the Captain.

"Hey, Arima! You're partnered with Osaka today!"

"Thanks."

It only took a few moments for him to get dressed and into the sparring ring. The heat of the match actually helped erase the thoughts of Miyazawa from his head. Each blow to the upperclassman in front of him (a Junior) was like an attack on her. Strike. Duck. Parry. Evade. Strike. Strike. Strike.

_You know she hates you_.

Strike. Strike.

_You don't love her_.

Evade. Evade.

_She only likes you because you're popular. _

Strike. Strike.

"Never seen him fight like this before." The other members of the team were watching Arima and Osaka duel. Even beneath the black kendo mask and uniform, they could see the ferocity in Arima's eyes.

"I think it's cause his girlfriend likes that Asaba guy."

Arima heard the chuckles of laughter and struck even harder and with a ardent rage until the faculty sponsor yelled "Time". After bowing to Osaka and the Japanese flag, he got changed in the dressing room.

_Everyone's laughing at you._

No, they're not.

_Trust me. They are._

Two hours later, during his first class, he noticed the odd looks he was receiving. Whispers of "Hey, do you think he's single now." reached his ears as he passed clusters of girls chatting to each other before the first lesson.

_They're talllllllllllking about you. _

They always are. It's because I'm so

_So what? So devishly handsome? Brilliant? Attractive? You don't need Miyazawa. Miyazawa needs _you._ The sooner you get rid of her, the better._

"What?"

The entire class stopped and turned to Arima. That was the first time he had ever daydreamed/been caught daydreaming in class. Noticing the confused expressions from his teacher and classmates, he slowly lowered his head down again. Had he said that out loud?

_Yes_.

"Uh...nothing, sorry ma'am."

The teacher continued with a lecture about the importance of pronouns in the English language as Arima contemplated getting rid of Miyazawa. Sure, his mind had been telling him to kill her...but that was just a joke. People used the verb 'to kill' all the time. I'm going to kill the teacher, she gave us such a hard assignment. That type of thing. But actually getting rid of her? Could he do such a thing?

_Yes_.

No.

Class ended and Arima got up and shoved his books (and his homicidal) thoughts in his locker. Unfortunately, the school hadn't upgraded the metal cabinets in a while, and the contents of Arima's locker were bound to spill eventually.

* * *

Review, please! 


	9. Steak

**Let the Rain Fall**

**pass the broccollini**

**Author's Note**: Usual delay, my apologies. Please read and review!

* * *

Chapter Nine: 

Arima paced back and forth in his room. This had become more than a preoccupation. The carpeting below his feet was worn in a thin path from his habitual stomping. Could he really get rid of her? Kill her? She was still a person, still a living, breathing person. To hate was one thing, but to destroy was another. It would destroy her family. It would destroy him. He'd get caught. No. It was out of the question. They only had two more years of high-school anyway. They would go to different colleges and lead different lives and forget about each other. Everything would be fine. In a few years, she wouldn't be a figure in his life anymore.

_You can't forget something that's always there._

There it was. That voice again. He stopped, mid-pace. Was he going completely insane? It must be the pressure of exams...which were...in four months.

"Soichiro?"

His head snapped up immediately and broke his trance. The sound of shoes clopping up the stairs became louder and louder until the feet paused outside his door. The voice was his uncle's. Arima didn't move to open the door.

"Yes?"

"Ca-can I come in, son?"

"...sure."

Mr. Arima entered the room. A small smile was on his face. He, like his wife, was getting old. Climbing up the steps to his room took effort, but no effort for Arima, his pride and joy, was ever wasted. He had noticed peculiar behavior in his child lately. The boy prodigy seemed constantly preoccupied, he wasn't eating well, he wasn't sleeping enough, and sometimes he'd get this strange, peculiar look on his face. It reminded her of...no, she mentally berated herself for even _comparing_ Arima to his biological father. But still, the thought pestered him. As Arima grew, his adoptive father noticed a few similarities between the two. Still, Arima was _his_ son. Nurture over nature. Even if his real father went insane, Arima wouldn't.

The relatives always kept quiet about it, but everyone knew the real truth. Insanity ran in the family, particularly through the males in the family. It was something to do with their genetic code, possibly a faulty piece of coding on the Y-strand of DNA. The Arimas were doctors, not genetic specialists. Even if the technology existed, admitting that there was a problem was always hard. He had been lucky. Sure, he had a bad back (no matter how many times his wife told him to correct his posture, he continued slumping), but that was not nearly as frightening as insanity. Ever since Reiji was a child, he had been...different.

"_Reiji? Reiji, where are you?"_

_Akino Arima, age twelve, searched for his little brother. It was almost dinner time, and his mom had sent him out to find his younger brother. They were enjoying their first vacation of the summer, in a lovely house in the country. Even their puppy came! Akino searched the large, vast field for his brother. There, sitting amidst the golden-brown fuzzy-wuzzies (Akino had thought it was wheat, until he put it in the oven. He had been hoping for a nice, golden loaf of bread, but instead got some burned weeds and an angry mother.) was the ten year old Reiji. His dark hair was in his eyes as he scooped up dirt in his hands and let it sift through his fingers into a large pile he had made._

"_Reiji, didn't you hear me? It's dinnertime."_

"_I'm not hungry. I ate already. The voice told me to."_

"_Well, too bad. Mom told me to come get you."_

_Reiji stood and wiped his hands off on each other, and when that didn't remove the dust, his shirt. The younger boy remained silent, a small smile on his face as he giggled at a joke that only he could hear._

"_What's so funny?"_

_Reiji just smiled. Moments later, they arrived back at their vacation home. Their mother had cooked them a nice meal of butttery vegetables and salted fish. Dad had been working on a steak all afternoon. He had cooked it perfectly, and kept it covered so that no bugs would get it. The mother and her two sons sat down to eat, and Mr. Arima brought in his masked masterpiece from outside. _

"_Chew your food, Reiji."_

_Akino snickered._

"_You too, Akino. And elbows off the table."_

"_Here it is! The delcious—", Mr. Arima removed the lid from the "steak". But what was inside was not a steak._

_Mrs. Arima shrieked and Akino's eyes became enormously wide. _

"_Oh my gosh, it's—"_

_The severed head of their puppy, "Beauty", was on the platter instead. Her eyes were open, frozen in her first and last moment of pure terror. Mrs. Arima started crying and rushed to the bathroom to throw up. Mr. Arima was in a state of pure disbelief,_

"_This is...disgusting. Who—who would've...?"_

_Akino remained in place, staring into the eyes of his one true friend. He turned to Reiji beside him. Reiji smiled and snickered._

_Mr. Arima went to the kitchen and dialed the police's number on their emergency phone. As he gave the address, he noticed neither of his children was eating._

"_Yes, thank you. That's 561—Kids, eat some food, ok. Mommy and I need to---oh yes, ok so it's Maple Avenue..."_

_Reiji's smile was still intact. "I'm not hungry."_

"_What did you eat?" asked Akino, who was so revolted by the bloody massacre he had seen that he could not force down a bite._

_Reiji smiled and replied sweetly. "Steak."_

--

Mr. Arima sat on the bed and watched his son's pacing slow to a halt.

"Son, I've been...really worried about you lately. Is something wrong?"

"Just the voice that keeps talking to me and trying to get me to commit felonies", Arima thought. No, he couldn't tell his father. They'd just lock him up in an insane asylum. This was all just a phase. It probably had something to do with puberty. Growing pains, deeper voice, homicidal tendencies...

"No, nothing, father."

"A-are you sure? You've been acting...different, lately."

Arima forced a small smile.

"Oh, it's just the pressure of exams. Yukino and I are neck-and-neck, so it's sort of stressful."

"I'd imagine so. That girl is very competitive."

_Kill her, Arima._

"What?"

Mr. Arima eyed his son with confusion. "I said 'I'd imagine so. That girl is—"

"No, you didn't say anything else? No...u-uh, never mind. I just need a nap."

The elder of the two sighed and gave his son a small pat on the back.

"Well, I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks, Dad."

"And son? If you're having problems with your girlfriend, why don't you invite her over? Talk things over?"

Arima paused and considered. That was a good idea. They could communicate. Communication was key to healthy relationships!

"Yeah...that's a good idea."

_Yes. Invite her over when your parents aren't home. Make sure the knives are sharp._

No. No. No. I'm master of my emotions. I'm going to invite her over tomorrow, and there's nothing you can do to stop me.

The voice went silent. Arima enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, and it wasn't until he lay in bed that the voice replied.

_I'm not going to stop you. You can kill all on your own. I'm just helping you along._ _You've always wanted to kill._

* * *

Well, Miyazawa comes over in the next (most likely final) chapter! What did you think? I thought I had to provide a little scientific background type thing about The Voice, because it offers another explanation of why Arima has gone completely insane. Was the flashback poorly written? Opinions? Comments? Questions? Concerns? Review! 


	10. Insanity Takes Hold

**Let the Rain Fall**

**Pass the broccolini**

**Author's Note**: Sorry for the delay (again). Thank you for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Oh, I'm going to start another His and Her Circumstances fic soon, but it will fit in more with the rest of the series. I'm going to be really busy the next week or so, but after that, it should come out. Anyway, here's the chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Ten: 

Arima took a deep breath as he sat on a bench in the park. He had called Miyazawa and she had agreed to meet him here. It was time they got things straightened out. Sure, she hadn't been the best girlfriend the past week, but he hadn't been the best boyfriend either. He was just tired and stressed. The voice in his head was nothing more than a figment of his imagination, a method of dealing with stress. He hadn't heard from "it" in a few days. He leaned back against the bench, briefly closing his eyes when he heard the voice of his favorite redhead.

"Hi!"

She gave a small wave and sat down beside him, setting her black purse with the sunflower pin on it by her side.

"Hi Miyazawa."

They remained in silence for a moment, not knowing where to begin.

"I'm so sorry about this week—", they chimed in unison. They both blushed slightly. Great minds think alike, eh?

"Miyazawa, I—"

"No…it's not you, I've just been so stressed lately."

"Me too."

"I haven't been thinking about your feelings or…or my image when I'm with Asaba. You know we're just friends. Other people just don't see it that way. You know you're the only one I love."

Arima felt shudders ripple through his heart. She loved him. She said it herself. Redness rushed to his cheeks once more. Wow. He was loved.

"I…"

Miyazawa put a finger to his lips.

"Don't apologize for anything. Let's just…start over. Pretend this week never happened, ok?"

"Ok."

They sat in silence once more. Arima's pale hand crept across the few inches that separated them to grasp her own. Wordlessly, they held hands for a few moments and enjoyed the presence of each other. To love and be loved was all most people ever wanted. Most people spent their whole loves trying to find what was sitting next to them on a park bench. There was nothing about her argument that seemed concocted or spurious…she was genuinely in love with him.

_No, she's not._

Arima jerked upright immediately. No. Please. Not now…not when things are just starting to get better.

"Is something wrong, Arima?"

_Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. You know you wannnnnnt to Arima. C'mon. It's so easy. There's no one around to hear her scream._

No. I love her. She loves me.

_She hates you! How many times have we gone over this? She only likes you because she's a greedy social climber who_

"NO!"

Arima jumped to his feet instantaneously. Beads of sweat began to form at his hairline, and Miyazawa was now extremely concerned.

"Arima…what's wrong?"

He couldn't hear her. Her voice was but a barely audible echo in the back of his mind. A wrenching feeling gripped his stomach and heart, twisting them into grotesque positions.

_You're your father's boy, Arima, whether you like it or not. _

I'm my own person! You can't control me, whatever you are!

The voice started laughing, but Arima was the only one who could hear it.

_What do you think I am? The wind? I'm you, Arima. The real you. The real self behind the mask that Miyazawa ripped off._

No. I'm good. I'm not a bad person. I'm not a murderer.

_Murdering a deceitful woman is not a crime. It doesn't make you a bad person, it makes you strong._

That's disgusting. No. I won't listen. No. No. No. I'm stronger than you. I'm stronger than this. I love her!

Arima had curled into a crouched ball on the ground, hands covering his ears. His head was twitching back and forth, and he started mumbling "No, no. No. I can't. No. No." Miyazawa noticed he was shaking and became genuinely scared. Arima was rarely, if ever, afraid. Even when he had been reliving his nightmarish childhood with his biological parents, he had never been like this. She crouched beside him and reached out a pale hand to touch his arm.

Fearfully, she whispered to Arima. "Are you okay? Wha—what's wrong?"

"GO AWAY!"

Arima shouted angrily and yanked his arm away, still lost in dialogue with his insane inner conscious. Go away. Go away. I don't want to kill her.

Miyazawa tried again. She reached for him, trying to comfort her true love. This must be some past repercussion from his past. Some momentary psychological flashback. He just needed some compassion, and then it would past.

"Arima…"

"GO AWAY!"

This time, Arima reacted violently. He sharply withdrew his arm and lashed it back at her, sending her to the ground. The sharp slap woke Arima out of his trance.

"No, I-I'm sorry. I thought…"

Miyazawa looked up at him with tear-filled eyes from her position in the dirt. The new jeans she had worn just to impress Arima were soiled now, but she didn't care. Arima had shouted and yelled before, they both had, but never raised a hand against her. She turned away from him and started sprinting away.

"No! Miyazawa!"

_Finally. She's out of your life._

Arima sprinted after her, tears spilling out of his eyes as well. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He would never hurt her. It was the voice. All he could hear was it telling him to cause pain on those around him. The slap had really been a violent reaction to the voice, not abuse. As Arima gained on her, Miyazawa looked around and noticed she was being followed.

"Miyazawa! Come back!"

She was terrified now. He's coming to hurt me. I can't let him get to me. There's no one around, and he's so much stronger than I am.

She kept running as fast as she could, and Arima steadily gained on her. A mixture of sweat and tears was dripping down his face as he followed her through the park. They were coming to an intersection, where she would probably scream for help and any chances of apologizing would be destroyed.

"Miyazawa! I love you! I--", he gasped for breath, "I'm sorry!"

She kept running, despite hearing her name called. She couldn't trust him anymore. All that she had thought about the beautiful, intelligent, charming boy had been a lie. He had hurt her! They were such good friends, too. She had just been trying to help. She kept running and sped up once she saw the familiar crosswalk and intersection. People! He would never ruin his public reputation by hurting her in public. That would give her enough time to get home and call someone for help.

"MIYAZAWA!"

Arima skidded to a halt and shrieked the name of the girl he loved more than anything in the entire world. It was too late. Miyazawa had been so caught up in her attempt to flee that she hadn't noticed the sixteen wheel truck speeding along the highway. In one short moment, her entrails had been spilled along the highway.

"No!"

Arima rushed to the scene of the crime. Everything now seemed to be in both slow motion and triple speed at the same time. The truck slowing down. The passersby gasping in shock. Miyazawa's mutilated corpse strewn across the world and the frozen expression on her face. Her last expression was a look of pure terror. He had caused this. He had caused all of this.

Arima threw up.

He had only wanted to love her. This was his fault.

Despite the puke covering part of the front of his shirt, he knelt down by the side of the road and began crying. The tears couldn't be stopped, even if he had wanted to.

_Don't cry, Arima. You wanted to kill her all along. It was all you. And besides, what do you need her for? You've got me._

Arima wiped the tears off on his shirt and headed home.

* * *

So…what do you think about the ending? I didn't think Arima had enough hate in him to kill her himself. Anyway, I'd appreciate your opinions. 

Oh, and to all of you with boy/girlfriends out there, even if your significant other is as charming as Arima, don't **ever** tolerate even the most seemingly minor abuse and/or disrespect for your feelings. Run away. (Just don't run into a 16-Wheeler. - )

Hope you enjoyed it! Please review!


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